Engine-testing device



H R SPANGLER ENGINE TESTING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1921 March 31, 1925.

' the invention,

vice especiallydesigned make and use the same.

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

I HENRY ROY SPANGLER, or PUEBLO, COLORADO,

ENGINE-TESTING DEVICE.

Application filed April 15, 1921.

cylinder internal combustion engines, the

same being permitted to be used without removing or displacing any of the wires or electrical connectionN The invention aims to provide a device of this class which willenable a repairman to accurately locate foul spark plugs, ascertain whether or not the compression in the cylinder is adequate, to detect engine knocks, "and to locate various other dcfects'and faults whether they occur in the carbureter, rious other parts of the engine.

The invention also aims to devise a device of this class which is an improvement over prior patented and marketed devices used for accomplishing similar ends, this improved device being simple, convenient to manipulate, very effective in operation, and inexpensive to both the manufacturer and the-user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which u like parts throughout like numerals are employed to designate the same: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the same connected to spark plugs of an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a central transverse section taken substantially'on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1. a

Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the clips designed for engagement with the spark plug terminals.

Refprrmg to the drawing by numerals, 1 designates a base which of insulation material which in its preferred form is nardistributor, breaker box or va base by Serial No. 461,6

rowed at its inner end, the outer edge there- I Secured hf other suitable fastenings to the of the base and abutting the rib of being curved a screws 2 or upper face 1 at the narrow en rality of rectangular material 3 which a the base and mating short latter. Secured to insulating strips 3 them, is a conductor s shown.

(1 of the base is a plustrips ofinsulating re of. less length than have their outer ends termiof the adjacent edge of the the inner ends of the and extending beyond plate 4 which, by

reference is secured in lace b the same 7 o screws which serve t 0 connect the nsulating strips to the base as already described. It is to be noted that the inner fastenings pass through the p lates 5 conductor, in-

ner ends of the insulating strips 3, and into the insulated base 1. Hence, a single fastening serves to secure several parts together.

Arranged near the outer ends of the insulating strips are small plates 5 which carry arate spaced upstanding a plurality of integral orsepcontact fingers 6 which constitute apart of the switches to e hereinafter described.

out here,

serve to secure the the base.

Similar plates 5 standing spaced fingers 6 It may be pointed that these'platesh are, like the plates l, secured to the insulating strips and means of the same screws which insulating members to including up are secured to the plate 4 directly opposite the plates 5.

It may be noted" however that the plates are rather closely spaced from one another while the similar ones at the outer ends of the insula greater distances from one another.

plates 5 and 5' tog tin strips are spaced The ether with the metallic blades 7 which are pivoted between the fingers 6 constitute switches of throw type. As is the single usual, the blades 8 are equipped with fibre handles 8 for operatlng them. With this arrangement, it will be seen that the switches are spaced from one another and are arranged indlvergent relation.

Secured to the plates 5 in any way, such for instance as by means of the adjacent screws 2, are a plurality of wires 9 which, when in use lead to the various spark plugs S on the cylinder head H. For convenience of connection of these wires with the spark plugs,

the wires are equipped on their free ends with spring clips 10 of the type mo Fig. 3. With this re clearly disclosed in construction, 1t will be dle and manipulate .circuiting the desired spark plugs.

seen that the wires can be easily and quickly connected and disconnected to or from the spark plugs as the case may be. Ihe device in addition to the foregoing parts, embodies a handle 11 which is detachably or otherwise secured to the base 1, serving as it will be seen, to conveniently hanthe device.

It is to be noted that the device as shown embodies seven switches, although it could embody more or less as desired. The particular type of device shown is designed, as is obvious, for use in connection with six cylinder engines, there being a sufficient number of wires 9 for permitting this. The additional switch at the extreme right hand end of the device may be well designated by the numeral 12. the same being here conveniently termed as the ground switch, and the wire 12 leading from it being designed for connection with the cylinder head or other metallic part of the automobile to create a ground and short-circuit the current supplied to any one of the spark plugs. The blade of this switch is therefore usually closed as indicated.

In use, the various clips 10 are detachably connected with the thumb screws or electrodes of the spark plugs S in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the device itself being held by the handle 11 or placed on any suitable support as desired. Now, when it is desired to test the various spark plugs, the switches are selectively and successively closed, causing the current to the spark plugs to be short circuited and grounded, it being obvious that if a particular switch is closed, the current will pass through the wire leading thereto, through the switch, through the conductor or distributor plate A} and thence through the switch 12 and ground wire 12 leading therefrom to the part of the engine to which it is connected. If irregular engine action is due topoor ignition and the trouble seems to be localized in any particular part of the engine or circuit, it can be very easily and readily located by operating the various switches and short It may be found that all but one of the cylinders are functioning properly and only one is at fault. In this case, it

or from some condition of the cylinder other than faulty ignition. v With only the one cylinder operating it will be an easy matter to ascertain whether the compression is normal or weak, as any hissing noise can, with a single cylinder running, be easily detected.

As the remaining cylinders are only temporarily out of action, theycan be easily and quickly rendered operative by opening the switches selectively.

From the foregoing description, it will be seenby use of my improved device that a repairman will not only be enabled to locate foul spark plugs, but will be enabled toeffect a test of the compression in the cylinder, locate faulty adjustment of the. carburetor. engine knocks and various other conditions which tend to render the operation of the engine as a whole, faulty. These and other advantages of the inven tion have, no doubt, become apparent from the foregoing. description and drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy and detailed description. is thought unnecessary.

Slight minor changes coming within the scope of the subjoined claim may be' resorted to.

I claim:

A spark plug testing device comprising a base having a rib on its upper face extending longitudinally along one edge and providing a shoulder, a plurality of strips of insulation material arranged in spaced relation and having their inner ends abutting said shoulder, a conductor resting on the upper faces of said insulating strips and extending over and resting on the upper face of said rib, circuit closures includingindicates that the trouble is present either at the spark plug contacts resting on said insulating strips I and conductor respectively, and fastenings passing through said contacts, conductor, insulating strips and into said base.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY ROY SPANGLER. 

